COVID-19 Latino Impact Report

Dear Friends,

For the foreseeable future, the way we think about our Latino community will truly be different. What hasn’t changed are our values, commitment, and sense of responsibility to one another. It’s this shared sense of unity that will bring our community together and make us stronger together.

As we watch the coronavirus crisis unfold in the US, we are witnessing a new reality take shape. No one knows exactly what lies ahead in this uncharted territory. Yet one thing is certain, this crisis will have a dramatic impact on the Latino community, our most vulnerable, especially isolated seniors, immigrant communities, Latino families and single-parent households, those currently living paycheck to paycheck, and small Latino owned businesses.

For over 90 years, LULAC was on the front lines, fighting for the rights of every Latino across the country. We are on the front lines fighting for civil rights, equity in our education system, voting rights, immigrant, environmental, economic justice, immigration reform, and against voter suppression.

Today we find ourselves fighting for equity in sick leave, unemployment compensation, stimulus compensation, small Latino and minority owned businesses and for everyone affected by this crisis. Make no mistake, legislation working its way through Congress right now will change the landscape of our economy, by picking winners and losers. If it fails, our country may fall into a depression we have not seen in generations with Latinos falling further behind after making significant strides over the last decade.

Most importantly, we are fighting to ensure that COVID-19 testing and treatment are 100% covered by our Federal government for every person in the United States and that testing and treatment cannot be used as a public charge against any person who has applied for a Green Card or will do so in the future. No one can be safe if our most vulnerable are left without treatment.

The enormity of the COVID-19 pandemic has created an environment where our Latino community is heeding warnings and observing social distancing. For all of us, this disruption of our normal lives can bring us further away from the things we cherish spiritually, educationally, culturally and socially.

In an effort to bridge these gaps and bring the Latino community together, we have created a Coronavirus Community Resources Page at lulac.org/covid19 to share our collective community resources, informing you of what is available remotely in the form of online learning, virtual events, volunteer opportunities and all the ways you can continue to connect from home.

For more than 90 years our LULAC community has been working together to solve problems and meet the needs of the Latino community and we have proven that by working together as a people we can meet every challenge. We know that our safety net of vital programs and services will see a dramatic rise in demand in the days and weeks ahead and that the need will be greater than the available resources.

As a result, LULAC is working with partners and local agencies to develop plans to ensure that the most vital services remain operational. Our desire is to safeguard our most vulnerable populations as they continue to receive urgent services; including meal deliveries for isolated seniors, emergency counseling across all populations and assistance for those facing serious unforeseen financial crises.

We thank all of those who have supported LULAC throughout the years and have demonstrated faith and trust in our mission to build community and care for those in need. Your support makes this all possible.

As we go forward together under these unprecedented circumstances, let us be mindful of our need to continue to maintain the connections we have with one another and our community. Think about how you can engage with others, support one another and continue to help care for those in need. We are all learning together and welcome any feedback you may have during this period. Please write to us at info@lulac.org with your feedback and recommendations.

Stay safe, stay healthy and take care of yourself and your loved ones.

Hasta La Victoria,

Domingo Garcia LULAC National President

About LULAC The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit https://lulac.org/